Let’s face it; if it weren’t for the oil, we’d have nothing to do with ISIS. We just wouldn’t give a shit. Our tar baby, Iraq, will keep holding us there for years.
ISIS has done nothing to the United States. They never will. They could give a fuck. Their war is one of dominance and power but they aren’t really interested in us as a target of their viciousness. That could change, however, if we keep bombing them. Hard to say. They don’t seem too impressed with our efforts so far.
I spent a year with the Iraqi people. I found them charming, funny, and hospitable. I would love it if we were able to lift them up out of despair and hopelessness. But that is what we brought them. We have subjected them to terror and poverty. If we really wanted to help that country, we could roll up ISIS in a month with overwhelming force. But it begs the question: why the lack of resolve? It’s a well established fact that air power doesn’t win wars. They are a force multiplier, but only when used in conjunction with other assets. Vietnam refused to bow no matter how many sorties we flew. It tends to entrench the enemy, not decimate it. The problem is political in nature; Barack Obama is determined not to break a campaign promise. I kind of respect him for that. But these half-ass measures in Iraq are no better. We either win this thing or fuck off.
But Obama seems to have no problem with a new foreign policy; that of toppling Bashar-Al-Assad in Syria. Currently, we want to have it both ways-we want to hit ISIS and knock over Assad in the process. Obama’s playing hardball. He’s just as much a slave to the type of cynical realpolitik calculations that have gotten us into trouble all over the globe. Why, if I didn’t know any better, I’d go full paranoiac and say that we are letting ISIS operate in Syria because our interests, however diametrically opposed otherwise, converge there. Our so-called “moderates” are hapless, if they even exist.
Enter Russia. As ever, Russia is trying to keep NATO and NATO-aligned countries out of its sphere of influence. They’re doing exactly what we are doing; protecting their turf. But we may have to let the chew toy called Syria go and let the Russians boot ISIS from the area. I bet Russian commanders relish the idea of seasoning its military by doing this. Might be easy. Might not be. Ain’t our bitch. Let’s cut the shit and move on, we’ll do Iraq and they’ll do Syria. Or not. Whatever we are doing now is not going to work. Fish or cut bait.
I am no warmonger. I’m more mad at ISIS for destroying history and ancient artifacts than anything else. But Iraq deserves better than the cancer we gave them. Maybe we can finally make it a war for liberation, unlike the last two times we went. I hate that I am saying we go in one more time. But honest strategists will have to admit that air power isn’t going to fix Iraq’s problems, and their military is simply not capable enough to rid themselves of ISIS. They haven’t been ready since we created them.
Dust off the Powell Doctrine, fuck the Rumsfeld Doctrine. We’re going to be there no matter. Let’s do it right.